Drying



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,338

0. W. RANDOLPH DRYING Filed Jan. 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 (3 6m LFTWM V IN VIN In;

A TTmgNEY Sept. 25, 1928.

o. yv. 'RANDQLH-I DRYING Filed Jan. 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 no a.

I ATIEIENEY Sept; 25, 1928.

O. W. RANDOLPH DRYING Filed Jan. 28, 1925 3 ShoetsSheet 3 "Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

OLIVER w. RANDOLPH, or TOLEDO, omo.

DRYING.

Application filed Ianuary28, 1925. Serial No. 5,235.

This invention relates to the control of air currents through material.

This invention has utility when incorporated in the handling of air or gases whereln the humidity is below the saturation point for the purpose of removal of moisture from bulk material, as coal, salvaged grain, sawdust, meals, as for feed and seeds, as cotton seed, nuts, peanuts, an asbestos rock.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of the invention n a drier of the column type having sections; Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, from the right of the showing in Fig. 1, the discharge way or stack being removed;

Fig. 3 is a section through a'portion of a sectional drier, at right angles to the show ng of Fig. 1, this drier being three sections wide instead of two sections wide as shown in Fig. 2; i I

Fig. 4 is a detail V18W, w th parts broken away, of an upper drying air by-pass device type of'duct;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV, Fig. 4;

Fig. dis a fragmentary view of the discharge control drive for regulating the material fiow made through the apparatus of this disclosure;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the difference that this sectional type of drier has the series of duct sections in vertical rows horizontally staggered, while the show ngs in Figs. 2, 3, have the sections in horizontal rows vertically staggered;

'Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Figs. 2, 3, 7, but the ducts herein are in rows both vertically and horizontally;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the duct section unit; and

Fig. 10 is a viewof the discharge hopper of Fig. 3 at right angles to the showing in Fig. 3, and with parts broken away.

3 Fan 1 may deliver warmed air or exhaust gases from a heating source or furnace to pass by way 2 in servingas supply means for sub-humid gases as delivered to housing 3. shown as a column having intake 4 at'the top and discharge 5 directly therebelow as to the bulk material. The gases as delivered to this housing 3 by supplyway 2 pass by gas discharge 6 from this column 3.

This column 3 isshown as comprising side sections 7 assembled with full plates 8, 9, and minor plates 10, 11. i The plates 8 have openings 12 therethrough, while the plates 10 have similar openin s ter openings openings 12 are central. The plates 8, 9, are assembled as a duct unit by a member therebetween comprising gable 14 with sides 15, 16, inwardly extendingtherefrom to bottom 17. This configuration of the duct is one for capacity of heating surface or direct radiation with large capacity for uniform ready flow of the bulk material through the.housing 3 as acolumn for the treatment of said material. The gable 14 tends readily to divide the flow, but such as passing the lower corners of suchgable 14 does not tend to hang for the reced'ng walls 15 at once release such material for flow or uniform settlingdown through this column of the drying, warming, cooling or other treatment, apparatus.

.The supply of heatedair or hot gases from combustion which, as of high temperature are below the humidity saturation, flow into this duct 14, 15, in giving up heat through the walls of the gable and sides tend to contract and due to this restricted opening 17 there is maintained pressure for velocity of travel of this partially chilled gas supply into the body or stream of the bulk material. stream from one duct as a supply source may go to one or more ducts of the exhaust or discharge series which have their openings 12,

This

13 therethrough, these latmg non-central while the 13, in the discharge 6 instead of in the sup- The plates 10, 11, carry a gable half 14, sides 15, 16', toward the opening 13 for restricting outlet 17 when operating as a supply duct. These open bottoms 17, '17 are outlets from the supply series of ducts, while they are inlets as to the exhaust series of ducts.

In the handling of some material wherein the moisture content is high or the temperature of the supplied gases is such that as to the material as entering thehousing 3 there may be quite rapid removal of water, or gas supply be of such rate that the gases as passing from a supply duct to an exhaust duct may be above the saturation point, any tendency of such gases as rising into an exhaust duct as there sub ected to further chilling which may tend to precipitate and effect a extends link 22 through this exhaust duct to crank 23 having hinge connection 24 in quadrant 25. This crank 23 has rigid extension 26 adjustable into different positions on the quadrant 25 thereby permitting manual regulation of the degree of opening of the vane 18 and thus a nicety in regulation of the warm gases as passing directly into this exhaust duct for delivery to the exhaust or distumbled about due to the disposal of the ducts that the stock is uniformly subjected to the radiant heat action from the walls of the closed side and gable walls of the ducts as Well as to the direct action of the gases. in-

passing through the bulk material from the intake series of ducts to the outlet series of ducts.

The velocity or flow rate of this stream may be nicely controlled and maintained uniform throughout the cross-section of the housing or column 3. To this end, base section27 is provided with minor hoppers 28 above discharge or major hopper 5. Each minor hopper 28 is normally closed, as to the flow of bulk or granular material by scoop 29.

The scoop 29 has terminal upwardly extending arms '30 to pivot bearings 31. Fixed with the pivot bearing 31 is depending arm 32 connected as to a number of these minor hoppers 28 by links 33, 34, and sectional link 35, 36, to wrist pin 37 adjustable in slot 38 in 28 is not crank disk 39. Belt 40 serves to rotate this crank disk 39 continuously'duringthe operation of the drier at a desired rate of speed, which is preferably less than that which might cause the scoops 29 to throw the material. The amplitude of the arc of oscilla-i tion of the scoops 29 may be adjusted. The centering of this arc or oscillation of the respective scoops 29 as to the respective hoppers 28 is adjusted by varying the length of the link 35, 36, telescopically and holding it as so adjusted by set screw 41.

As the bulk material may have its elements more or less hard and the clearance between the scoop 29 and the side walls of the hoppers eat, there may be tendency in this positive rive to swing the scoop 29 against the side of the hopper-28 with a particle of the material between the hopper and such scoop. Relief from disaster under such a condition is provided herein by hopper side wall sections 42 mounted by spring hinges 43 humidity and to reduce precludes any when the operation is one of heating, there is no leakage'of the heating or drying gas or varied.

to be normally held in alignment with side walls 44 of the minor hopper 28. Accordingly, as the scoop 29 may jam a small lump of coal against a wall 42 acts as a gate and opens on its hinges 43 to permit the scoop 29 to have its full swing at the adjusted set thereof.

side wall section 42, such Under the device of thisdisclosure it is possible to have great flexibility in installation not only as to vertical and horizontal capacity but as to gas flow due to the by-pass, and there is further flexibility in the flow rate of material so that all may be adjusted for eificient operation to the desired drying extent uniformly with a capacity for output permitted by the installation under exigencies of the drying action.

The delivery by the fan 1 to the way 2 is automatically opened only during the operation of the fan. To this end, louvres 45 are opened against gravity by the fan draft and at once the fan stops, such louvres close. This back-draft'upon the fan, and

fumes into the apparatus. This is'a safety against fire hazard.

WVhat is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for the reduction of the moisture content of bulk material comprising a vertical housing for a column of said material, a first series of ducts. extending transversely into said housing, sub-humid gas supply means to said first series of ducts, and a second series of ducts extending from said housing to be supplied by gas as passing through the material from said first series of ducts, said ducts having closed gable type tops and narrowing sides downward to open bottoms. 2. A duct unit comprising a pair of end plates, one having an opening therethrough,

and a gable top member having sides narrowing toward an open bottom and assembled with said plates to have said open bottom between said plates.

3. Apparatus for the handling of flowing bulk material including a main discharge, a hopper thereto, a scoop normally closing said hopper, a mounting for the scoop "centrally of the hopper, and continuous driving means for rocking the scoop, including means for adjusting the extent of the rocking of the scoop material from the main discharge may be 4. Apparatus for the handling of flowing bulk. material including a main discharge, a hopper provided with an outlet therefrom, a scoop normally closing said hopper outlet, a mounting for the scoop centrally of the hopper, a drive for oscillating said scoop across the drive and the scoop for varying the throw of whereby the rate of fiow of the bulkloo hopper outlet, and means between the A the scoop while maintaining its operation symmetrical as to the hopper.

' bulk material including a main discharge, a 5. Apparatus for the handling of flowing hopper thereto having depending side extenbulk material including a main discharge, a sions, a scoop normally closing said hopper, a hopper thereto havin a lower edge, a scoop mounting for the scoop centrally of the hopnormally closing sai hopper by movement per, means for rocking the scoop, and jam to position as to said edge, a mounting for precluding means hinge-mounting side exthe scoop centrally ofthe hopper, means for tensions for mounting with the scoop as to rocking the scoop, and jam precluding means the hopper. mounting said lower edge of the hopper for movement with the scoop as to the hopper. OLIVER W. RANDOLPH.

6. Apparatus for the handling of flowing In witness whereof I aflix my signature. 

